"Itsu is a new and wonderful source of healthy, uncontaminated goodness." Not my words, theirs, printed on the band which seals Itsu's lunchboxes. Slate floors, moulded white plastic seats and white leather banquettes produce a look that is clean and uncluttered. My gripe is with the food. Sushi and sashimi are confined to salmon and tuna, although the best box comes with carefully crafted crab California rolls. The salads are samey, with too much repetition of white sesame, alfalfa and wakame. The duck rolls are on the dry side. But I am impressed by their Detox Zinger- an instant pick-me-up, and very delicate white-tip peony and pomegranate tea. High point This is a clean, slick operation Low point Coconut flakes used liberally in too many salads Capacity 44 +12 on pavement Price per head Presentation boxes from £5.49; salad boxes from £4.75 Wine list £13.50 Vegetarian 8/10 Service 10/10 Music World Value for money 8/10

Nobu's Berkeley Street sibling feels less cliquey and somehow more democratic than the Hyde Park Corner original. A spiral staircase leads from the beautiful, circular ground-floor bar, with its night-sky lighting, to the first floor, two-level restaurant which incorporates a sushi bar. As you would expect, sushi and sashimi are taken very seriously here, with three types of tuna (akami, Chu-Toro and the supremely creamy õ-Toro) as well as kampachi, a variety of yellow-tail. They average about £3.75 a piece - not exactly given away. "New style" sashimi includes razor clam, sweet shrimp and salmon dressed up with chive and sesame seed. Nobu now takes reservations, but the meet-and-greet staff have a whiff of attitude. High point Vegan dishes available Low point The toe-curling waiters' cries of "Irrashamasei" whenever a new arrival enters the dining room Capacity 200 Price per head Set lunch from £18.50; sushi dinner £25; à la carte £70 Wine list £26 Vegetarian 9/10 Service 7/10 Music Disco, lounge, Max Sedgley Value for money 8/10

I often enjoy a takeaway lunchbox from this handy sushi chain, with five London branches, from Chalk Farm to London Bridge. They source their fish carefully - Loch Duart salmon, for instance, and line-caught Cornish mackerel - and sushi is prepared centrally. Their tuna isn't up there with the greats, but bento boxes are generous and price/quality ratio is very fair. Other offerings include vegetarian "sushi", vegan dishes, well-made noodle dishes and the offbeat, surprisingly good Japanese fish and chips. High point Quick lunchtime takeaway service Low point Incredibly uncomfortable upstairs seating Capacity 34 Price per head Salads from £5; sushi boxes from £7 Wine list £12.50 Vegetarian 10/10 Service 8/10 Music World Value for money 8.5/10